How To Install GOtv Decoder By Yourself (A Comprehensive Guide)

In this article, we’ll be showing you how to install GOtv decoder and Antenna in Ghana by yourself. As we all know, GOtv is a very popular digital satellite TV in Ghana and in most African countries as a result of its services availability and their competitive pricing model.

GOtv is a digital terrestrial TV service that works via TV masts and accessible only on areas with GOTv transmitter coverage. This explains why it is cheaper than other similar satellite TV networks.

So, in this guide, we’ll give you a detailed tutorial on how to install and set up GOTv decoder and antenna all by yourself. All you have to do is to follow every step that we have outlined below.

Tools Needed To Install GOTV Decoder and Antenna

Before you can successfully set up or install your GOtv services correctly, you need to have some basic tools on standby. In this guide, we’ll assume that you’ve already purchased the GOtv decoder from an authorized dealer or from any GOtv offices nearest to you.

At the point of purchase, you’ll be given a complete GOtv pack (antenna and decoder) which comes with everything you’d need to complete the installation, including a user manual with a detailed GOtv installation guide.

GOtv Pack Unboxing

A brand new GOtv pack purchased from an authorized dealer comes with the following.

• Pole bracket for clipping the Gotenna on a pole
• Go Antenna
• 2mm cable wire – about 30 meters long (Usually white)
• Brackets and clips
• One GoTV decoder
• AV wire
• Wingnuts
• A remote controller
• A detailed user manual

Other Tools Needed

• A round metallic pole for mounting the Gotenna on Upstairs or high-rising buildings (note: galvanized poles would last longer than regular black iron poles).
• Long bamboo poles (normally used for scaffolding) for mounting the Gotenna on an open space around your surrounding.
• A couple of F connectors and 1 full roll of Coaxial cable (Optional for those connecting the antenna from a far distance).
• A careful observation of the positioning of your neighbor’s GOtv antenna (Optional for first-time installers).

How to Install the GOtv Antenna (Step by Step Guide)

The Gotenna is the first thing you should set up and clip it to a pole (preferably a long pole so you can get a very strong signal quality and strength). This is how to fix it for proper GOtv services reception.

1. Get the Gotenna and 30 meter long cable out of the box (handle with care).
2. Pass the white or black cord wire through the Gotenna grid and screw it into the hole provided at the back of a yellow plastic box on the Gotenna. (This plastic is very visible on the Antenna).
3. Once the cord is well secured into the plastic box, gently slid it (the yellow plastic box) through the waterproofed sleeve to ensure everything is okay and well guided.
4. Now, clip the red and green plastics on the Gotenna to the ones on the Antenna grid respectively. Ensure they are well clipped to each other before proceeding further.
5. Search your GoTV kit or pack and look for a U-shaped bracket, take it and pass it through the middle of the of the Gotenna. (This U bracket will help the pole bracket to hold your Gotenna to the pole firmly).
6. Now bring out the pole bracket which is included in the GoTV pack/kit. pass it through the outskirts of the U bracket with the flat side facing the antenna grid
7. At this moment, get your pole and place it in between the outward facing Pole Bracket and then use the wingnuts from the kit and fasten up the pole to the pole bracket.
8. Stand the pole erect and secure it to the ground firmly (This is assuming you aren’t going to use the house roof, wall or the building’s wooden fetcher boar).
9. You have just succeeded in setting up your Gotenna.
10. Now get a satellite signal finder and look out for an angle with the strongest signal quality/strength (Optional for techies).

This is all you’d need to know about how to install GOtv antenna by yourself. You can now safely proceed to how to install the decoder and start exploring the channels on your default subscription pack.

READ ALSO: GOtv Ghana Subscription Packages, Channels & Prices

How to Install GOtv Decoder (for first use)

1. Bring out the decoder from the kit and connect it to your Television using the provided AV (Audio and Video) cables.
2. Connect the cable (the white/black cord wire) from the yellow plastic on the antenna to the RF In plug at the back of the decoder.
3. Connect the power cable and plug the end into a wall socket. It is recommended you use a power surge protector.
4. Switch on the socket and power up your TV and GoTV decoder.
5. Using your TV remote control, switch to the right AV channel where GoTV will be showing (Usually AV 2 channel).
6. GoTV will boot for a few seconds and prompt you to select your language option and country.
7. After this, GoTV will launch an automatic channels scan and this might run for some minutes (About 3-8 mins).
8. All the TV channels and stations included in your current subscription pack will appear after the scan. It should be about 100 TV channels and 4 radio stations.

Now let’s move on to getting your GOtv decoder activated for limitless entertainment and music.

READ ALSO: 8 Methods to Recharge GOtv Ghana Online or Mobile Phone

How to Activate GOtv Decoder (Step by Step Gude)

You can activate your new GOtv decoder through any of these methods.

• Activating online via the GoTV website
• Using SMS short codes and
• Via USSD

Activating Online: To activate your GOtv decoder online, simply visit this Link and fill out the form, that’s all. Your decoder will start working a few minutes from the form’s completion.

Using SMS Short-codes: If you are unable to connect to the internet, then you should try this method. NOTE: standard SMS charges from your network provider applies.

Here’s the SMS format:

Accept*your_IUC_number*your surname*mobile number*your city*the product.

Use the asterisk to separate each field.

SMS format Explanation:

First, you have to type Accept, followed by your decoder IUC Number (This number is found at the back of the decoder), then type your Surname (This is what will be used as your Username), type your mobile number and the city you are living in. Lastly, type the product you’re activating – this should be GoTVPlus.

E.g: Accept*2018410932*surname* 0242223344*city*GoTvplus.

Now send the SMS to Your country short-code. List of all the available country short-codes is presented in the table below.

Activating your Decoder via USSD: Simply dial *288# from your phone’s default dialer and follow the on-screen instructions.

Activating by Calling GOtv Customer Care

If all these GOtv activation methods fail to work for you, you can simply dial GOtv customer care numbers to get in touch with their support staff.

CLICK HERE to access GOtv Ghana customer care service.

A video Tutorial on How to Install GOtv Services

For those who do not love reading in bullets, there’s a video guide on how to install GOtv services. It was created and published by GOtv some years back.

You can use it to get a pictorial/media instruction on how to install a GOtv antenna. Click the play icon below to watch the GOtv installation tutorial video.

I believe with this comprehensive guide on how to installl GOtv decoder, you can conveniently install and activate your GOtv decoder all by yourself.